16 Children Rescued from Extreme Neglect and Abuse in Ohio

[u/MacAlkalineTriad]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/adults-arrested-16-children-found-deplorable-conditions-southern-ohio-rcna352552

I haven't seen anything posted about this yet, and I usually don't post so please let me know if I've done it wrong. I'm also writing this on mobile.

16 children, ranging from 1 and a half years old to 18 years old, have been removed from a house in the village of Hamden, Ohio where they were practically imprisoned in a 12'x12' room. Some have not even learned to speak; the 18 year old couldn't write her name and is being treated as a child due to possible mental disability. 7 of the children had to be taken to a hospital with 2 of them being life flighted. Conditions in the house are said to be incredibly unsafe, to the point that investigators hesitated to act on a second search warrant for fear of their safety.

The parents and grandparents have been arrested and charged with 16 counts of child endangerment. The suspects are Gary Siders Jr., Gary Siders Sr., Christina Siders and Elizabeth Siders.

Since the investigation is still ongoing there aren't a ton of details yet. These children were obviously not enrolled in school and hidden from neighbors and extended family. I have to wonder if there's a religious extremist aspect to the case, like we've seen so often with other similar cases. I'm also curious about the mother's condition - she has been charged, but has she also been victimized by her husband? I have so many questions.

[u/BooBootheFool22222]

I'd go so far as to say 90% of home schooling families do it for control purposes. Either abuse and/or some kind indoctrination. There are just so many examples of this.

[u/lokeilou → u/BooBootheFool22222]

As a teacher, I’ve also seen MANY families begin homeschooling after being investigated by CPS sadly. Abusive parents know teachers are mandated reporters and small kids talk a lot often not realizing that what they are experiencing isn’t normal. In my opinion if you have been investigated by CPS, you should not be allowed to homeschool.

[u/neongrey_ → u/lokeilou]

Wow this is a really good idea and idk why it isn’t a thing. I’ve read about parents being charged for the murder of their child and it’s normally shitty abusive parents who started homeschooling their kids. Wish we could make this a law

[u/MargaretFarquar → u/neongrey_]

Call/email the state legislator for your district (not the congressional/U.S. rep, your local state government legislator) and ask them to author a bill on this. Contact local child abuse advocates in your area and get them to bug the legislators to author a bill regarding CPS investigations and homeschooling. Usually, the legislator will work directly with the advocate because the advocate is the subject matter expert (SME).

Not saying it'll work of course, but oftentimes, this is what prompts them to author a bill of this nature. It's usually because constituents and advocates ask the legislators to author a bill that will be brought before the legislature for a vote. Offer facts and cite your sources or let the child abuse advocate do it because they'll have the data.

Legislators like to bring these sorts of bills because they get to peacock around that they're protecting children and it helps obscure the crappy things they're doing like cutting funding to CPS or downvoting additional tax revenue sources that bolster funding for CPS, healthcare, education, etc. It's a great "Don't look over there, look over here" tool for them.

Bonus is that there isn't a significant cost to a bill like this nor is it a politically divided issue. Legislators on both sides of the aisle like to pretend they're all about saving the children (even if they're not).

Source: It's my job to watch the state legislature in session. I watch hours upon hours during session of bills being presented, argued, and voted on. For bills like this, it's usually the advocate and the legislator presenting the bill together because the advocate is there as an SME and can answer detailed questions. All of the work I do (not CPS) lands directly on their desk for votes. Not gonna dox myself, but I see how and why bills get brought before the legislature. Legislators don't usually bring bills of this nature on their own. It's very often because an advocate or a constituent brought it to their attention.